Ok, so for many these two cd's jockey for the un-coveted position of worst release in P's three dozen or so-ish catalogue. I gave HnR another go yesterday and then pulled out NPS to see which is more of the audio-turd /glass coaster/toddler frisbee. Come On was to be the difference maker and with it being too long and the twangy "guitar" part lingering too long after the lyrics coax it in, gave the tilt to NPS as being the worst of the two. Sure it still has The One and Wasted Kisses, both classics IMO but too many cringeworthy meoments

HnR even in all of its turdaciousness still FLOWS better as an album. There's BAD then there's unlistenable bad and for me NPS has the latter. I can ignore HnR in parts and it can be on while i'm multitasking, not so for NPS. I'll cross the room to turn it off! Even though TCBU on HnR should've NEVER been touched in the first place (insert Groovy Potential instead, d'uh!) the guitar work midway thru is stellar IMO. NPS was mailed in while HnR is a failed experiment with interesting moments and 3.5 gems (XsOs, Hardrock, June, Xs Face) and a deceptive zirconia (FILT)

HitNRun contains the obnoxious stylings of Joshua Welton..

NPS wins...

I think HnR is his best album since The Gold Experience. I am drawn to it every day. I'm not a "love everything" kind of guy. Not a huge fan of AOA (but loved PE), in fact I don't really listen to anything released by Prince since Musicology. I personally consider Planet Earth his worst album. I gave it one listen.

I love HnR. Maybe I was lucky that my first listen was at PP with great acoustics. My first thought that night was, this is different than anything he's ever done, MORESO than SOTT was different than anything he'd done at the time. Does it exceed or even meet SOTT in brilliance? No, obviously not even close. But HNR is unlike anything I'd heard Prince do. At best I hear moments that remind me of older songs, but that's it. Once I got the album I listened to it once the first day. I thought, meh. Once again the second day. Hmmm. Day after day though, I was drawn to it more and more. Now, at least for a while, it's on repeat play thru my work day.

I could go song by song, but I love all of them save for this could be us.

In my experience, I find that the more Prince fans that initially hate an album, the better it probably is. Sometimes we just need to catch up, stylistically.

I know I'm the lone voice, but I am hoping for more work from Josh. I love this album.

I can listen to NPS without physical pain. Hitnrun is unlistenable to me, except for the last 4 tracks. So NPS wins.

ludwig said:

jasopig said:

I think HnR is his best album since The Gold Experience. I am drawn to it every day. I'm not a "love everything" kind of guy. Not a huge fan of AOA (but loved PE), in fact I don't really listen to anything released by Prince since Musicology. I personally consider Planet Earth his worst album. I gave it one listen.

I love HnR. Maybe I was lucky that my first listen was at PP with great acoustics. My first thought that night was, this is different than anything he's ever done, MORESO than SOTT was different than anything he'd done at the time. Does it exceed or even meet SOTT in brilliance? No, obviously not even close. But HNR is unlike anything I'd heard Prince do. At best I hear moments that remind me of older songs, but that's it. Once I got the album I listened to it once the first day. I thought, meh. Once again the second day. Hmmm. Day after day though, I was drawn to it more and more. Now, at least for a while, it's on repeat play thru my work day.

I could go song by song, but I love all of them save for this could be us.

In my experience, I find that the more Prince fans that initially hate an album, the better it probably is. Sometimes we just need to catch up, stylistically.

I know I'm the lone voice, but I am hoping for more work from Josh. I love this album.

Interesting. I like it more and more as well.

Both great, fun little albums.

Like em equally.

HnR overall.

A few tracks on NPS are great but the rest is often very annoying. a lot of corn syrup melodies.

HnR has its share of forgettable songs, but nothing as annoying as the worst on NPS.

Imho HitnRun is a strong album very much better than Newpower Soul:

1998: Newpower Soul (4)
1999: The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale (6)
1999: Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic (6)
2001: Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic (Remix Album) (7)
2001: The Very Best Of Prince (10)
2001: The Rainbow Children (8)
2002: One Nite Alone... Piano (3)
2002: One Nite Alone... Live (2)
2003: Xpectation (2)
2003: N.E.W.S. (2)
2004: Musicology (7)
2004: The Chocolate Invasion (6)
2004: The Slaughterhouse (6)
2004: C-Note (not sure?)
2006: 3121 (5)
2006: Ultimate Prince (Best Of) (10)
2007: Planet Earth (5)
2008: Indigo Nights (Book & CD) (2)
2009: Lotusflower (8)
2009: MPLSound (7)
2010: 20Ten (6)
2014: Art Official Age (8)
2014: PlectrumElectrum (4)
2015: HitNRun (8)

I'll take NPS. I always thought it was underrated. At least there's a basic song sructure going on there. This new record, H&R, is kind of a mess. A whole lot effects attemtpting to cover up a basic lack of songwriting. Such a let down after AOA too.

jasopig said:

I think HnR is his best album since The Gold Experience. I am drawn to it every day. I'm not a "love everything" kind of guy. Not a huge fan of AOA (but loved PE), in fact I don't really listen to anything released by Prince since Musicology. I personally consider Planet Earth his worst album. I gave it one listen.

I love HnR. Maybe I was lucky that my first listen was at PP with great acoustics. My first thought that night was, this is different than anything he's ever done, MORESO than SOTT was different than anything he'd done at the time. Does it exceed or even meet SOTT in brilliance? No, obviously not even close. But HNR is unlike anything I'd heard Prince do. At best I hear moments that remind me of older songs, but that's it. Once I got the album I listened to it once the first day. I thought, meh. Once again the second day. Hmmm. Day after day though, I was drawn to it more and more. Now, at least for a while, it's on repeat play thru my work day.

I could go song by song, but I love all of them save for this could be us.

In my experience, I find that the more Prince fans that initially hate an album, the better it probably is. Sometimes we just need to catch up, stylistically.

I know I'm the lone voice, but I am hoping for more work from Josh. I love this album.

Wow is all I can say and then just marvel at the divergence of opinions about the man whose work we all love to digest and clamor to discuss. To each his own indeed!

thedance said:

Imho HitnRun is a strong album very much better than Newpower Soul:

1998: Newpower Soul (4)
1999: The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale (6)
1999: Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic (6)
2001: Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic (Remix Album) (7)
2001: The Very Best Of Prince (10)
2001: The Rainbow Children (8)
2002: One Nite Alone... Piano (3)
2002: One Nite Alone... Live (2)
2003: Xpectation (2)
2003: N.E.W.S. (2)
2004: Musicology (7)
2004: The Chocolate Invasion (6)
2004: The Slaughterhouse (6)
2004: C-Note (not sure?)
2006: 3121 (5)
2006: Ultimate Prince (Best Of) (10)
2007: Planet Earth (5)
2008: Indigo Nights (Book & CD) (2)
2009: Lotusflower (8)
2009: MPLSound (7)
2010: 20Ten (6)
2014: Art Official Age (8)
2014: PlectrumElectrum (4)
2015: HitNRun (8)

Wow. 3121 and Plectrumelectrum deserve so much more!

I prefer Hitnrun to NPS by a long, long way. Still loving Hitnrun.

I find it a little ironic that, out of the two, the one that sounds more like a Prince album is the one that isnt actually credited to Prince. Not to say it is the better of the two, although Im sure I listened to NPS a lot longer before abandoning it, but maybe that was because I was younger and less fussy. Either way, neither of them gets heard anymore and probably wont in the forseeable future either. I put them on equal footing on the shelf direcly above Planet Earth and MPLSound, and just below 20ten. They are all in my dust-collection collection.

NPS by a significant margin

Two words. Wasted Kisses, contest over.

ThrillUorKillU said:

Two words. Wasted Kisses, contest over.

Yep, agreed. I've never liked that track either, Hitnrun all the way.

TheEnglishGent said:

ThrillUorKillU said:

Two words. Wasted Kisses, contest over.

Yep, agreed. I've never liked that track either, Hitnrun all the way.

I've always felt NPS is a strong album. It's not SOTT but it was never meant to be!

New Power Soul (the song) is a great party opener amd the horns are killing it!

Mad Sex, if you ignore the lyrics (although humorous) is just goddam funky as hell.

Until U're in my arms again is one of his most heartfelt ballads, probably his most personal work which I believe relate to his sons death:

Every mornin' when I awaken, I imagine you sleepin' in your bed
Wrong or right the reason, you're taken from my embrace
Well, it's never said 'cuz every day that you don't return
Is another day that my heart just yearns and yearns
That's why

Until U're in my arms again
I know this pain will never end
This broken heart will never mend
Until U're in my arms again

Superb underated piece of work!

Shoo-Bed-Ooh - 5 out of 5 for me. Love the beat, the lyrics, everything. This is the standout in my opinion.

Push It Up - one of his better party tunes!

Freaks on this Side - OK not his best work, but shits all over the first 3 tracks on HnR.

Come On - stonewall classic Prince. It's up there with his best singles.

The One - a masterpiece of a ballad.

I Like Funky Music - similar to Freaks on this side IMO however a good bookend to close the album on a positive high.

This album deserves much more credit. The OP's description of this piece of work is insulting and shows a lack of understanding of music in general.

[Edited 10/16/15 2:02am]

Harps said:

I've always felt NPS is a strong album. It's not SOTT but it was never meant to be!

New Power Soul (the song) is a great party opener amd the horns are killing it!

Mad Sex, if you ignore the lyrics (although humorous) is just goddam funky as hell.

Until U're in my arms again is one of his most heartfelt ballads, probably his most personal work which I believe relate to his sons death:

Every mornin' when I awaken, I imagine you sleepin' in your bed
Wrong or right the reason, you're taken from my embrace
Well, it's never said 'cuz every day that you don't return
Is another day that my heart just yearns and yearns
That's why

Until U're in my arms again
I know this pain will never end
This broken heart will never mend
Until U're in my arms again

Superb underated piece of work!

Shoo-Bed-Ooh - 5 out of 5 for me. Love the beat, the lyrics, everything. This is the standout in my opinion.

Push It Up - one of his better party tunes!

Freaks on this Side - OK not his best work, but shits all over the first 3 tracks on HnR.

Come On - stonewall classic Prince. It's up there with his best singles.

The One - a masterpiece of a ballad.

I Like Funky Music - similar to Freaks on this side IMO however a good bookend to close the album on a positive high.

This album deserves much more credit. The OP's description of this piece of work is insulting and shows a lack of understanding of music in general.

[Edited 10/16/15 2:02am]

And don't even get me started on Wasted Kisses................

Harps said:

Newpowesoul is a much worse album. Come on and the One are the only listenable tracks, the rest is barely there party music and terrible ballads. Hitnrun at least has 4 good songs and none of it is truly bad. Even the fillery tracks have their charm and insistence.. Mr Nelson is actually pleasant lounge/chill out music.

.

That settles the filler, but the highlights of hitnrun (1000x's and o's, Fallinlove2nite, Hardrocklover and Ain't about to stop) are classic songs, The one and Come on are average at best. Come on is nice but really just a great beat, cute lyrics and some great Chaka Khan guest vocals. Okay Curly Fryz or however you spell their ghettoey name is mistep, but it ain't not Accura rap by Doug E Fresh!!

.

NPS is a much worse album, in fact Hitn run is several albums better. My mark system gave NPS a score of 42/100 and Hitnrun 61, so its not even close.

Adorecream said:

Newpowesoul is a much worse album. Come on and the One are the only listenable tracks, the rest is barely there party music and terrible ballads. Hitnrun at least has 4 good songs and none of it is truly bad. Even the fillery tracks have their charm and insistence.. Mr Nelson is actually pleasant lounge/chill out music.

.

That settles the filler, but the highlights of hitnrun (1000x's and o's, Fallinlove2nite, Hardrocklover and Ain't about to stop) are classic songs, The one and Come on are average at best. Come on is nice but really just a great beat, cute lyrics and some great Chaka Khan guest vocals. Okay Curly Fryz or however you spell their ghettoey name is mistep, but it ain't not Accura rap by Doug E Fresh!!

.

NPS is a much worse album, in fact Hitn run is several albums better. My mark system gave NPS a score of 42/100 and Hitnrun 61, so its not even close.

Well if your mark system says so then I guess it's settled. NPS is a much worse album.

Opinions are what everyone is entitled to, but please do not post your opinion as if it is an undisputed fact.

I actually like HnR although no part of me can agree that Ain't about to Stop is a classic song!

datdude said:

Come On was to be the difference maker and with it being too long and the twangy "guitar" part lingering too long after the lyrics coax it in, gave the tilt to NPS as being the worst of the two. Sure it still has The One and Wasted Kisses, both classics IMO but too many cringeworthy meoments

That track is the best one on the album, the 'twangy guitar part lingering too long' is one of the coolest parts of the song, which imo is a late-90s P classic.

NPS is by no means a great album in total, but I could not disagree more about Come On .

As for HitNRun, my jury's out on that as it's still new to me. So far, it's interesting, tho my version has better imo, as it has Stare, Baltimore and Indifference on (and possibly will add Free Urself unless any of the latter end up recycled on future albums, as these days one never knows with P .